


Staring

by sassandpanache



Series: Flufftober Ficlets [6]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: College, M/M, Studying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-11-26 05:27:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20924906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sassandpanache/pseuds/sassandpanache
Summary: From the prompt: “Yes, I’m aware. Your point?”





	Staring

Rhett was sitting on his bed, trying to study. But his attention was held by Link, who actually was studying. He tried to take in the sight of Link in such a way that wouldn’t be noticeable, his head down but his eyes shooting up. Link hadn’t commented on him staring so it must have been subtle enough. 

Link, for his part, had his headphones on, head bobbing along to the music, but still remained hyper focused on his notes. He wore his jeans, but no shirt. 

Rhett couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of Link. He felt like every time he stared, he noticed something new. For example, right now? As Link added to his notes, his tongue would stick out just a little as he wrote. That led to imagining other things. Did his tongue peek out when he worked himself over? Would he be adept at tracing Rhett’s ear with it? Rhett felt hypnotized by his best friend. That was the best way to put it. Otherwise, how else could he explain the feelings that threatened to spill from his heart?

He worried about what that meant. This was definitely a different dynamic than they were used to. How do you even start that conversation with your best friend? _Hey, I’ve been thinking that I love you more than just a friend. Wanna make out?_ And he didn’t even want to think about Link’s reaction. So many scenarios played out in Rhett’s head. Link getting freaked out. Link getting disgusted. Link laughing it off as a joke. That one felt both like the best and worst option.

“Rhett!”

Rhett was snapped out of his thoughts by Link, who had pulled his headphones off and was looking at Rhett questioningly. The faint sound of Brooks and Dunn tinkled in the air as Rhett came back to himself.

"Yeah? What’s up?"

"You were staring at me."

"What? No, I wasn’t!"

"Dude, you were. You’ve been staring at me for twenty-five minutes, but the last few minutes, you haven’t even tried to hide it." Link pointed his pencil at Rhett, to drive the next point home. "You better study. You’ll flunk otherwise."

"I haven’t been staring at you," Rhett grumbled, unwilling to admit he wasn’t as subtle as he hoped.

"Whatever, man. You were. Is there something you need to talk about?"

Rhett fought against the blush that threatened to cross his face. "What? No."

Link shrugged and turned back to his notes, willing to drop the subject.

Rhett tapped his pencil against his notebook. Link seemed so nonplussed by the fact that Rhett was staring at him. Why? There was no question Link liked attention. But getting stared at by his best friend was a new level of attent—

"_Rhett._"

Link started Rhett out of his thoughts again. Was he staring again?

"Look, Rhett, are yo—"

"I can’t stop thinking about you," Rhett blurted out, the words spilling forth before he could stop them.

Link looked pointedly at Rhett.

"Yes, I’m aware. Your point?" Link said, his face still neutral.

"What?"

"Rhett, I’m not blind. I’ve noticed you staring. Not just today either."

"What?"

"Why do you think I’m sitting here with no shirt on literally right in front of you?"

Rhett was confused by this turn of events only because he could never have imagined Link being okay with how Rhett felt. But if he could be this okay with it, and even encourage it, did that mean…?

"Link?"

"Yeah?"

Rhett took a breath and continued. "I think I _like_ like you." He couldn’t say love. Not yet.

Link softly smiled. "I like like you too. I've been hoping you felt the same way. And I am _really_ excited you do. But can I finish this chapter first?"

"Fi—first?" Rhett was dizzy with the revelation that Link was feeling the same way.

"Well, yeah. I’m going to be busy after I’m done with this kissing you senseless." Link smiled. "Doesn’t look like it’ll take much right now and I want it to last, so I’ll let you catch up."

Link winked at him, and turned back to his notes, writing faster than before. A smile crept on Rhett’s face as he pushed his book and notebook off his lap. He was always a fast learner.


End file.
